Nature versus nurture
Whether you grow up poor or rich, we are a combination of both nature and nurture. There has been a long-standing debate on this very topic.
Nature — We are born with specific genes; we cannot choose, and under a star sign (if you believe that), which shapes us.
Nurture — We are born into a family we cannot choose, and with an upbringing, we cannot choose.
These things imprint who we are and who we will be. Or do they?
As adults
- Some of us are looking for meaning
- Some float through without a care in the world
- Some struggle for every scrap
- Some are handed everything on a plate
- Some are just trying to get by
- We are ultimately a product of everything that has brought us to this point today in our lives.
Nature
What is your star sign?
Do you think that the time, day and year can determine who you are and will be?
Do you think that some people are just born good or bad?
Can you inherit bad qualities, or are they nurtured?
What about generational trauma?
Nurture
Did you grow up in a happy home?
Did you have experiences, good or bad, that will stay with you for life?
Has your upbringing shown you what TO DO as an adult, or has it shown you what NOT TO DO?
What about generational trauma?
Psychology of nature versus nurture
- The nature versus nurture debate involves how particular aspects of behaviour are a product of either inherited (i.e., genetic) or acquired (i.e., learned) influences.
- Nature is what we think of as pre-wiring and is influenced by genetic inheritance and other biological factors.
- Nurture is generally taken as the influence of external factors after conception, e.g., the product of exposure, life experiences and learning on an individual.
- Behavioural genetics has enabled psychology to quantify the relative contribution of nature and nurture concerning specific psychological traits.
- Instead of defending extreme nativist or nurturist views, most psychological researchers are now interested in investigating how nature and nurture interact in various qualitatively different ways.
- For example, epigenetics is an emerging area of research that shows how environmental influences affect the expression of genes.
Choices
Throughout life, we all have choices.
I think we can repeat the mistakes of our upbringing, or we can choose to do better. To ultimately break the cycle.
Personal story
A family member snapshot:
- Mother and Father with two children (girl and boy)
- Father alcoholic, violent with wife and daughter
- Mother grew up with a father who was abusive to her mother
- Divorce ensues
- The son grows up, meets a lovely girl, gets married, has two kids and lives happily ever after.
- The daughter goes on to be a difficult teen and eventually finds an abusive partner to have a child (daughter) with. Doesn’t stay with the abusive partner; several years later finds another partner has a second child; the partner leaves as he never wanted to be a father. Unsure about a current relationship.
- Her daughter grows and becomes a difficult teen who cannot live with her mother. She goes on to have a child at a young age. Unsure about a current relationship.
How many generations does it take to effect change? Who will decide to break the chain of trauma?
Generational trauma
Many things get passed down through families, like heirlooms, genetic conditions, and physical characteristics. In some cases, trauma can be inherited, too. Generational trauma (also known as intergenerational trauma or transgenerational trauma) is still a relatively new field of study, meaning researchers have a lot to discover about its impact and how it presents in people who suffer from it.
Who is vulnerable to intergenerational trauma?
Everyone is susceptible to generational trauma, but specific populations are vulnerable due to their histories. Being systematically exploited, enduring repeated abuse, racism, and poverty are all traumatic to cause genetic changes. African Americans in the United States and around the world are particularly vulnerable. And the families affected by catastrophes such as the 2004 tsunami in Asia will have traumatic reactivity for generations to come. People in countries that have endured years, even decades, of war may also have generational trauma.
Domestic violence, sexual assault or sexual abuse, and hate crimes are other acts that can result in generational trauma.
Currently, many Ukrainians are being wounded by so much more than the Russian forces.
Treatment for generational trauma
There are no easy answers, but generational trauma can be resolved if a holistic, intense intervention is implemented. This often involves individual therapy, though group/family therapy is another option.
Knowing you aren’t alone or helpless and knowing that there may have been factors outside your control might help you process the trauma. When we process things and understand them, we often find coping mechanisms. When we find coping mechanisms, we can heal and redefine ourselves to reclaim a part of our life.
If the trauma or abuse is ongoing, it’s crucial to stop the cycle, which may require a considerable amount of encouragement and support. Support groups, financial aid, housing support, health care, education, nutritional support, community resources, spiritual connections, and individual therapy will all need to be addressed to prevent generational trauma successfully.
What is your story? Tell me in the comments.
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Thanks, Kelly